World Time by John Favicchia

At the same time, he was a drum instructor at the Long Island Drum Center and doing as many side club gigs as possible.

Hailed as "one of the most musical and well-rounded drummers", Favicchia's versatility has enabled him over the years to appear in a variety of musical settings: two Contemporary Jazz CD's by the Billy Eric Band, live NYC Radio broadcasts with the Richard Thomas Big Band, 2 CD's by Chapman Stick player Steve Adelson, concerts with rock guitarists Bob Koelbler and Matt Cardin, dates at the Blue Note in New York with Steve Adelson, jazz clubs with the Bob Gallo Group, and touring Europe with Trumpet player Latco Deczi. In 1993, Favicchia became a member of Deczi's band "Jazz Celula"; his first two month tour took the band through Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Luxemberg, and Hungry. Some highlights of the tour were playing live on the radio in Prague as well as performing a concert for Czech TV. While in Germany, the drummer played the Burgthann Jazz Festival as well as the Famous Frankfurt "Jazz Keller". He toured Europe two more times with "Jazz Celula", once in 1995 and two months in 1996. Other jazz artists Favicchia has performed and/or recorded with are Steve Khan, Larry Coryell, Harvie Swartz, Chieli Minucci, David Mann, Bob Malach, Jeff Haynes, Philip Halmilton, Dean Brown, Latco Deczi, Gerry Etkins, Jerry Brooks, Lonnie Plaxico, Jay Rowe, Schuyler Deale, Tim Regusis, Tony Kadleck, Carl Fischer, Mike Frost, John Scarpulla, Matt Cardin, Kirk Lions, and Billy Eric.

The record release party for World Time was broadcast live on the Jazz radio station 88.7 WRHU FM. A few months later his band performed on a cable TV show that is broadcast to 750,000 homes in the NY area. In February, 1999 Favicchia recorded bass player Gerhard Graml's CD in Vienna Austria and in April of that year, his band toured Canada and started work on Dharma. He also has been recording a group lead by himself and his Partner Mario Cazeneuve. The group plays Latin/Jazz and the group and the CD are called "Pa'delante".

When not on the road, John resides in the New York area where he is engaged in many creative activities: playing in a Latin/Jazz group called Afro Dysia; doing gigs with Enee recording artist Natural Elements; leading his own Fusion band as well as his own Quintet; running his own music company called FAV MUSIC for which he books Jazz acts for all kinds of situations; and keeping a busy schedule as a freelance artist playing with the (Blue Note Recording Artist) Lonnie Plaxico, Inner Voice Band, Billy Eric Band, Destiny, and Primo.

In the educational field, John has been teaching in his own studio as well as South Island Music School on Long Island. He has written a drum book called the "RTC METHOD". John endorses Vater drum sticks, Attack drum heads, Colby Drum Works Snare Drums, Real Feel practice pads, as well as Zildjian cymbals.

In the spirit of "Dharma" and his belief that we should all use our own individual gifts to help benefit others, a portion of each CD sale will go to cancer research.

"In addition to all of the diverse musical situations I've been able to plug into and create during my career, the most rewarding thing for me is having the opportunity to meet new and different players all the time," Favicchia says. "I love playing with them live and it's been amazing to have the chance to document some of these performances now on disc. Working on Dharma has been an unbelievable journey, from building a small studio in my house to finding writers to write me songs in which I could express myself fully. I'm happiest when I'm playing, and it's so exciting to once again be able to share that joy in this way."

WORLD TIME REVIEWS

JAZZ REVIEW.COM

CD Title: World Time

Year: 1997

Recording Label: FavMusic Ltd.

Favorite Song: Horizons

Review: Steady-cool, dynamic, and quite jazzy is how one would describe this new release by drummer extraordinare John Favicchia. Jazziz Magazine voted "World Time" as a Top 10 for 1997. Playing the drums since age 13, John has developed his own playing style into a unique, crisp, well-developed drummer. At age 16, John began studying with some of the top instructors in New York and decided to devote his full efforts into becoming a professional musician at age 18. He has toured the world from Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Luxemberg, and Hungry with the Latco Deczi's band "Jazz Celula", astonishing audiences with his pulsating style. John knows too well how to be an important part in the making of his music but never trying to over-shadow or out play his sidemen. John features a congregation of great sidemen: Bob Malach on tenor sax, Bob Gallo and Dean Brown on guitar, Jerry Brooks on six string bass, Jeff Haynes doing percussion, and Brian Charette on piano. John's playing comes across as both self-assured and with an open-minded viewpoint. When asked about the songs on his release, John replies, "The songs on the CD have many different styles of Jazz: from Latin Jazz to Fusion, to Contemporary, and Traditional." We loved the diversity of forms expresses on this release and would recommend picking it up. Enjoy the beats!

CYBER-DRUM REVIEW

John Favicchia's "World Time" is well-named and gives the listener ample opportunity to appreciate Favicchia's knowledge and abilities within the 'world' of drumming. Favicchia delves into a wide sampling of rhythms and textures: cool contemporary fusion, large fat grooves, and exotic, worldly patterns. He seems equally at home with Latin styles and jazz ballads, creating suitable moods and feels, and displaying chops in a tasteful manner. Favicchia's grooves are nicely enhanced with the strong musicianship surrounding him, and compelling compositions that stand on their own merit. Favicchia never seems to feel anxious or over-zealous in presenting what he can do. His playing feels relaxed, and he takes his time building solos, suggesting he is more interested in creating the appropriate setting than showing off. And he is quite capable of 'showing off', substantiated by many of his intricate fills. Much of the music reminds briefly of the Yellowjackets, with inventive rhythms underscoring beautiful melodies. Track 8, entitled 'Crossing Time Zones' is a complex undertaking that continually shifts time, providing a fun romp through a myriad of down beats. This cut features some excellent horn solo work throughout the composition. (As do many of the others. And the guitar work of Bob Gullo, who penned four of the compositions on this disk is definitely worth exploring.) On track 9 Favicchia introduces us to the mystical world of African and Eastern percussion. Turn this one up and experience why so many humans have chosen drumming as a part of their existence! It's a spiritual thing. "World Time" is worth sampling. The instrumentalists' are exciting, the compositions are attractive. And John Favicchia helps us to appreciate the value of a world view of life.

CONTEMPO - by Jonathan Widran

That sort of electronic concoction helps us better appreciate the playful sort of combustible human interaction on a project like drummer John Favicchia's World Time (Fav Records), a roaring indie release which proves that a studio date can easily capture the buoyant craziness of a hot club show. Favicchia and his core trio of Bob Malach (sax), Bob Gallo (guitar) and pianist Brian Charette run amok on peppy tunes which call to mind some of the artsy, jazzy, post-pop work of the Yellowjackets, as well as the hooky Latin jazz fusion sounds of Spyro Gyra. Malach and Gallo trade off lead melodies most of the time, but Favicchia takes control more often than most drummers do on albums bearing their names, allowing himself space for some aggressive, odd metered fills. While his bandmates do the lion's share of the writing, it's a tribute to Favicchia's melodic instincts that his own Latin hurricane Kukuc is every bit as memorable as Cedar Walton's "Black." Not that it mars the brilliance of this debut, but the closing title track, a percussion and drum duet, would work better as a coda than a full length piece.

LE JAZZ REVIEW

John Favicchia World Time

1) This Is Why (Bob Gallo) - 2) Horizons (Bob Gallo) - 3) Good To Go (Bob Gallo) - 4) Say (Brian Charette) - 5) Black (Cedar Walton) - 6) April Fools (Bob Gallo) - 7) Kukuc (Frederic Lasfargeas/John Favicchia) - 8) Crossing Time Zones (Brian Charette/John Favicchia) - 9) World Time (John Favicchia) John Favicchia (dm, perc), Bob Malach (ts), Dean Brown (g), Bob Gallo (g, gsynth), Jerry Brooks, Bill McCrossen, Mike Nuno, David Pelligrino (b), Jeff Haynes, Bernard Soto, Nydia "Liberty" Mata (perc), Tim Regusis, Brian Charette (p), Ken Gioffre (ts, ss), Don Harris, Carl Fisher, Tony Kadleck (tp), Ed Leone (tb), Ken Rubinstein (gsynth) Fans of fusion, Latin jazz and world music will be delighted with the debut album of New York drummer John Favicchia. The leader wrote or co-wrote three of the nine compositions here. The superb tenor sax of Bob Malach, an alumnus of Stevie Wonder, Mike Stern and Joe Zawinul, stands out

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